LONDON – Viacom's MTV confirmed Wednesday that this year's MTV Europe Music Awards set a ratings record for what is the biggest Viacom International Media Networks event of the year.

The 20th MTV EMAs, which aired from Amsterdam in early November, reached an estimated 11.5 million viewers in the U.S. and 43.5 million in international markets, according to a spokeswoman. The figures include the live or premiere broadcasts in various countries, as well as repeats.

Outside the U.S., viewership was up 5 percent over 2012, helping deliver the biggest -ever EMA audience. Adding the U.S. figures, the show reached 55 million viewers globally.

The premiere airings of the show drew an audience that was up 61 percent from 2012, or 9 percent when excluding the U.S., where the EMAs for the first time aired on the flagship MTV channel, according to MTV data. The figures were further evidence that the move to the main MTV channel boosted the U.S. performance.

Previously, Viacom had said that the premiere showing of the EMAs saw ratings rise 137 percent over last year in the core demographic of people aged 12-24.

The initial data suggested that the 2013 EMAs were "on course to achieve a higher consolidated worldwide audience than last year, when an estimated 39.4 million viewers tuned in to the 2012 show from Frankfurt," MTV had said.

The show at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome included performances by Miley Cyrus -- who also drew social media buzz by lighting up a joint -- Katy Perry, Eminem, Bruno Mars, Robin Thicke and others.

The EMAs also attracted record-breaking figures on digital and social media platforms, "marking this year’s show as the best ever in network history for votes, visitors, video views and social media activity," according to MTV.